Frangible cap for the closure of bottles.



No. 813,181 PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906. S. M. STEVENS FRANGIBLE CAP FOR THE CLOSURE OF BOTTLES.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 5, 1905.

WITNESSES: 1 1 lli/VE/VTOR M I fimzueltfifiezrww (f f ATTORNEYS FRANGlBLE CAP FOR THE CLOSURE OF BOTTLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 5, 1905- $erial No. 254,010-

T0 at whom it mayconoern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tampa, in the county of Hillsboro and State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved Frangible Cap for the Closure of Bottles, of which the following is afull,'clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to closures for bottles designed to prevent the filling of such receptacles a second time with liquor that may be of an inferior quality, and has for its object to provide a frangible cap of novel form and construction as a coverfor the top of a filled bottle, which adapts the cap for very effective service as a fixed cover for the cork of the bottle and which must be broken to afford access to the latter forits removal, thus preventing the refilling of the bottle as an original liquid-package.

The invention consists in the novel construction and conformation of the improved frangible cap, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side view of the improved cap mounted and secured over the top and a portion of the neck of a bottle. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of parts shown in Fig. 1, taken through the axial center of the bottle and neck, substantially on the line 2 2 in said figure. Fig. 3 is a side view of the improved sealing-cap, showing its form before it is secured upon a bottle; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cap shown in Fig. 3. V

The improved cap is specially well adapted for application upon the neck of a bottle holding malt liquorsuch as beer, ale, or porterand serves as a closure which must be destroyed to permit the removal of the cork that retains the potable liquor in the bottle.

The improvement may be formed of soft metal, but is preferably manufactured of glass cast into form in a suitable mold.

As is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which represent the primary form given to the cap, it consists of a dome-shaped top wall 5, that is of proper dimensions to seat over the top of a bottleneck A, whereon the usual bead a is formed as a finish at the upper extremity of the neck. A plurality of clasping-limbs 6 project from the lower portion of the cupped top wall 5, whereupon theyare integral formations, four of said members being shown; but it is to be understood a greater or less number may be provided. The limbs 6 of like shape are bent outwardly when formed, and thus are adapted to pass down over the top portion of a bottle-neck. For efiective service the limbs should have such a length as will permit their free end portions to extend somewhat below the bead a, when the cap is in position on the neck A. The slde edges 6 of the limbs 6 where said limbs oin the top wall 5 are preferably merged in pairs in a circular orifice 6 The walls of the improved cap-piece and its limbs are of moderate thickness, so as to enable them to withstand ordinary wear and tear incurred in handling the bottles.

Assuming that a bottle B, having a neck A, that terminates in a bead a at its open end, is filled and closed with a cork C, as shown in Fig. 2, ready for the application of the improvement thereon, heating the limbs 6 in a suitable furnace or other source of heat, so that they may be readily bent. Then the top portion 5 is seated upon the bead at, having a sufficient clearance from the cork C to avoid burning it. With a suitable implement compressing pressure is now applied upon all the limbs 6, causing them to closely clasp the neck A of the bottle and form a practically closed sleeve thereon below the bead a, and the ori-' iices 6*, that facilitate the closure of the limbs, also afford openings for the free insertion of a pointed lever for the fracture and removal of the improved cap when this is. desired.

Any preferred color may be given to the improved cap, and it may have a monogram or trade-mark of any. preferred design cast thereon or otherwise affixed, thus enabling a manufacturer of a certain quality of liquid goods to protect the same from being counterfeited, as the destruction of the cap-piece, which is necessary to permit the opening of the bottle, will render the bottle useless for such a purpose to the retailer of the li uor. It is to be understood, however, that the ottles if returned to the one who bottled the particular quality of liquid goods as an original package may be refilled by him and recapped, thus permitting a reuse of the bottles in a legitimate manner.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A frangible cap for bottle-necks, oom- Patented Feb. 20, 1906.

this is effected by first prising a dome-shaped portion, integral limbs depending therefrom and primarily bent outward affording openings between the limbs, the limbs after heating being adapted by compression for a clasping engagement with the neck of the bottle when the cap is mounted thereon.

2. A frangible cap for a bottle-neck, comprising a dome-shaped top portion having spaced openings therein, integral limbs depending from the top portion between said openings and primarily bent outward, said limbs being adapted, after heating, by c0mpression to clasp a bottle-neck when the cap is mounted thereon.

3. The combination with the neck of a bottle having a bead around its edge, and a cork therein, of a cap comprising a dome-shaped top portion having aplurality of spaced openings therein, a plurality of limbs depending from the top portion between said openings, the limbs diverging, but adapted by compression for closure below the bead, and thus secure the cap on the bottle-neck.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL M. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

W. E. MCANDREW, H. B. PENYAR. 

